Figs among easiest edibles to grow in home garden

I have two small brown fig trees in my yard and never see any fruit from them. That's OK because I planted them for hungry birds.

Maybe, just maybe, one day when the fig plants are bigger and yield more fruit, I will get to taste one.

Whether you want a single shrub or several as a mini orchard, late winter is prime time to plant figs in Hampton Roads.

"Figs are easy because the care required is so little," says Bill Kidd, vice president of purchasing for McDonald Garden Center, which carries its own line of figs cultivated by owner Eddie Anderson.

"Plant them in a sunny spot with space to grow and amend with compost and they will reward you for years to come," he said. "We grow several types of figs, Celeste being one of the most popular and old favorite figs."

"Figs really like the climate in Hampton Roads," Kellam says. "My neighbor lives in a historic house and his tree is 25-feet tall and of equal spread, probably a century old."

Once established, figs need little care. Prune them in the spring after danger of heavy frost has passed, advises Kellam. Choose a dry day to remove any dead branches, as well as any limbs that cross and could potentially rub together. Prune vertical shoots to encourage horizontal branching and a more shrub-like form.

Many fig varieties produce a small crop in late spring. This first crop, known as the breba crop, arrives on new spring growth. The second and larger crop is ready in late summer and early fall.

"A Brown Turkey fig tree will grow up to 15-feet tall," Kellam says. "I suggest pruning the verticals in June so it concentrates the energy into the fruit, not the size of the tree."

Place new plants in a sunny spot, maybe near your house or a structure where the ground is usually a little warmer. Water the plants when you do not receive an inch or more of natural rainfall. Feed lightly in late winter with a general purpose garden fertilizer such as 10-10-10. Cage or fence off the trees to prevent loss and damage by critters.

Gardening experts will tell you February is also the prime time to get other fruits started, including blueberries, which I also grow for the birds' benefit.

"Blueberries are easy to grow and now the range of size spans from about two to three feet, many of which are self-pollinating, to the always popular Rabbiteye blueberries, which require 10 feet and one each of two varieties for pollination," says Kidd.

"On self-pollinating types, you can just plant one, but planting two or more increases the yield by 20 percent or more."